Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
High risk of severe weather, including widespread destructive winds, in the Plains Sunday. Click for details Chevron right

Columbus, OH

69°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

69°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Newsletters

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Weather News

Large-scale eruption of Italy's supervolcano could impact global climate

By Michael Kuhne, AccuWeather staff writer

Published Dec 13, 2018 2:40 PM EDT | Updated Jul 1, 2019 5:03 PM EDT

Copied

The volcanic area west of Naples, Italy, known as Phlegrean Fields, is stirring with early signs of a new caldera cycle for one of the world's most menacing supervolcanoes, according to new research.

Scientists are concerned a "potential reawakening" of the volcano is in store, according to a new study published in Science Advances.

The largest known eruption of Phelgrean Fields, also called Campi Flegrei, occurred 200,000 years ago, darkening skies across Europe with volcanic ash. The eruption of Campi Flegrei, which means "Burning Fields" in Italian, led to significant changes in the global climate.

According to a 2010 study published in Current Anthropology, it is likely the powerful eruption of Campi Flegrei played a role in the extinction of Neanderthals amid the ensuing volcanic winter.

In addition, the volcano has shown signs of unrest in recent history as early as the 1950s.

"Three major periods of unrest characterized by shallow seismicity and an increase in hydrothermal degassing have been recorded since the 1950s, thus increasing concern for a potential reawakening," the study stated.

"Located in one of the most populated regions on Earth, Campi Flegrei is an active and restless volcano that has produced two cataclysmic caldera-forming eruptions and numerous smaller eruptive events over the past 60,000 years," the study stated.

Hawaii Lava

Lava moves across the ground as a pahoehoe flow, Kīlauea Volcano, Hawai`i

USGS

The research focused primarily on the long-term evolution of volcanic activity in the region, while past studies have focused more on specific periods of activity or single-eruption events.

The authors used "textural information" such as rock, mineral and glass samples from nearly two dozen eruptions at Camp Flegrei.

"Caldera-forming magmatic systems often follow recurrent evolutionary paths, [or caldera cycles] accompanied by notable changes in the composition and physical properties of erupted magmas, frequency, spatial distribution and size of volcanic eruptions," the authors reported.

RELATED:

How massive volcano eruptions can alter global temperatures
Key volcano terms you need to know to understand these fiery geological structures
The Ring of Fire: A guide to Earth’s most powerful geological forces
Why volcanic ash can be so detrimental to your health
6 ways volcanoes benefit Earth, our environment

The team's research revealed potential of a new caldera cycle, which could mean a building period of magma, subsequent eruptions and eventually a collapse of the caldera, according to the report.

"After the Monte Nuovo eruption, the Campi Flegrei caldera has entered a new phase of [quietness] accompanied by several episodes of ground deformation," the authors said.

While it is unknown when another eruption will occur or how large it will be, another large-scale event could not only devastate the highly populated area near the caldera but also lead to a volcanic winter and changes to the global climate as large amounts of ash enter the atmosphere.

"Home to more than 1.5 million people, the Campi Flegrei caldera represents one of the most hazardous regions on Earth, and its magmatic history has been the focus of a number of studies," the study said.

AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Jim Andrews said a powerful volcanic eruption could have a detrimental effect on the global climate if conditions were severe enough.

“It’s widely believed by researchers that when you have a tremendous volcanic blast that lofts ash and gas into the stratosphere, you get a reflection of sunlight before it gets deep enough into the atmosphere,” Andrews said.

“Effectively, you’re losing heat energy, and if it's powerful enough and spreads a cloud around the equator, you’re losing a tremendous amount of solar energy.”

The stronger the volcanic blast is, the more intense the result will be, Andrews said.

“The higher sulfur dioxide content, the better, and the nearer to the equator it is, the better,” he said. “It’s going to put that cloud right in the wheelhouse of the climate, where the rubber meets the road.”

Tambora was the site of the largest volcanic eruption in the last 10,000 years and contributed to a cold year in 1816, which has been called the "Year Without a Summer."

Unseasonably cold weather killed trees, rice and water buffalo in China and Tibet while floods destroyed the remaining crops, leading to famine in the region. In addition, growing seasons were also afflicted in the Northern Hemisphere across Europe and North America.

In the northern United States, even Thomas Jefferson’s crop was plagued by the harsh chill that continued well into the summer with a Virginia snowfall in June.

The Italian supervolcano is also similar to the one the lies dormant under Yellowstone National Park. It is comprised of a complex network of volcanic features including 24 craters, geysers and volcanic vents that spew hot gases.

The most recent notable eruption in the region occurred in 1538, but it was small in comparison to two other events that occurred 12,000 and 30,000 years ago.

If the Yellowstone volcano was to erupt today, the effects would also be similar.

"Such a giant eruption would have regional effects such as falling ash and short-term [years to decades] changes to global climate," the U.S. Geological Survey reports.

Report a Typo

Weather News

Weather News

Record sargassum seaweed in Atlantic, Mexico beaches covered

Jun. 5, 2025
Weather Forecasts

Records in jeopardy as first 90-degree readings expected in Northwest

Jun. 7, 2025
Astronomy

Japanese ispace craft had 'hard landing' in failed lunar mission

Jun. 6, 2025
video

How do weather balloons improve forecast accuracy?

Jun. 3, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Severe Weather

Over 100 million at risk for severe storms, downpours into next week

5 hours ago

Recreation

2 hikers die on Maine mountain amid treacherous weather

2 days ago

Weather Forecasts

After wet start to week, Northeast to turn warmer, smoky into mid-June

13 hours ago

Weather News

Crane collapse during high winds kills 2 in Florida

1 day ago

Weather News

Hazy sky to persist as wildfire smoke and Saharan dust invades US

13 hours ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Weather News

D-Day: The weather forecast that changed history

1 day ago

Astronomy

'Zero shadow day' makes photos look like AI

1 day ago

Weather News

Cologne evacuation order lifted after three World War II bombs defused

1 day ago

Recreation

Missing Colorado rafter identified

1 day ago

Travel

FAA says Newark airport’s technology problems should be resolved by Oc...

1 day ago

AccuWeather Weather News Large-scale eruption of Italy's supervolcano could impact global climate
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...